Cutting methane emissions is key to slowing down climate change: EDF president Fred Krupp

The Importance of Reducing Methane Emissions in the Fight Against Climate Change

The fastest way to slow down climate change may be to reduce methane emissions, says Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund.

Methane: A Powerful Greenhouse Gas

While carbon dioxide usually finds itself center stage in climate discussions, current methane emissions, he warns, will be responsible for more warming in the next decade than all carbon emissions combined.

“In 2023, it turns out that anthropogenic methane will actually warm the planet more than all the carbon dioxide, which comes from burning all the fossil fuels around the world,” said Krupp, referring to methane emissions that are a result of human activities.

Despite remaining in the atmosphere for a shorter time than carbon dioxide, methane is capable of trapping 80 times more infrared radiation from the sun due to its molecular structure. It is the second most abundant anthropogenic greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and is responsible for about 25 per cent of global warming.

Along with agriculture, the production of oil, coal and natural gas are responsible for the largest share of human-made methane emissions.

The Opportunity in Methane Reduction

Though methane poses greater near-term risks than carbon dioxide, it also presents a golden opportunity in the global fight against climate change.

Indeed, Krupp notes that any work to drive down methane emissions this year or next year will pay off immediately. “It is a big opportunity to reduce temperatures from what they otherwise would be,” he added.

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Optimism is a prediction that it is all going to be okay. Hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up. We have to be hopeful; we have to keep working on the climate problem.

The Environmental Defense Fund’s Efforts

One organization that is leading efforts on focusing global attention towards the importance of reducing methane emissions through its research and solutions is the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), a United States-based non-profit environmental advocacy group.

Krupp, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Michigan, has served as President of EDF since 1984. He joined at the age of 30 and fondly remembers the board chairman at the time questioning his suitability for the job during the interview because of his young age. “I told him if he did hire me, I promised I would do something about my age every day I was on the job,” quipped Krupp.

Throughout his almost 40-year tenure at EDF, Krupp has witnessed and fought for much change in the environmental space. One was reducing sulfur dioxide pollution, which causes acid rain. He recalls working alongside EDF and the United States Congress towards the start of his tenure to create an emissions trading system that would tax pollution and financially reward those who reduced their pollution. Since it was put in place in 1990, the system has reduced sulfur dioxide pollution by 90 per cent.

The development of emissions trading systems found in Europe today, some U.S states and China all came from initial work done by EDF on sulfur dioxide, said Krupp. “Within a couple of years, our then chief scientist, Michael Oppenheimer told me that climate change was going to be the biggest issue and many of the ideas we had on solving acid rain could be applied to climate change,” he said. “Almost everything we do now is [to address] climate change, whether it is reducing emissions or helping to thrive in the face of climate change.”

Today, EDF has over 3 million members and activists and more than 1,000 members of staff from different disciplines including scientists, economists, policy experts and lawyers. It has strategic partnerships in 30 countries and has offices across the United States and around the world including in London, Beijing and Jakarta.

While Krupp is proud of how EDF has grown over the past four decades, the issue of climate change has also become more apparent in that time. “We do not sit around feeling satisfied at all about the progress,” he said.

However, it is this same urgency that drives efforts and innovation within EDF, all with the intention of reducing methane emissions and slowing down climate change. “Optimism is a prediction that it is all going to be okay,” said Krupp. “Hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up. We have to be hopeful; we have to keep working on the climate problem.”

Challenges and Solutions

In an interview with Eco-Business, Krupp discusses the challenges he has faced in convincing companies, communities, and governments to protect the environment. He emphasizes the importance of developing mutual respect and trust, as well as getting buy-in from communities to participate in environmental protection efforts.

Krupp also highlights the unique issues faced by governments and companies in Asia in cutting methane emissions. He mentions the role of national oil companies in these countries and the need for fast pathways and low-emission energy systems for economic and sociopolitical stability.

EDF is actively working in Japan to help reduce methane emissions and supports Southeast Asian countries in their efforts. Krupp mentions the collaboration between EDF and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in hosting oil and gas workshops in Tokyo. He also acknowledges the crucial role of Japan and South Korea in driving supply chain improvements across the Asia Pacific region.

Furthermore, Krupp discusses MethaneSAT, a methane-tracking satellite that EDF plans to launch. He explains that MethaneSAT will quantify methane emissions from the oil and gas industry worldwide with unprecedented precision. The data collected by MethaneSAT will provide transparency and actionable information to industry, governments, and citizens, accelerating efforts to reduce methane emissions.

Inspiring the Youth

Krupp emphasizes the importance of empowering young people to fight for climate change. He mentions Defend Our Future, a group under EDF that engages young people in climate change action. Krupp believes that giving youth hope and agency to make a difference is crucial in motivating them to actively participate in finding solutions to global warming.

Conclusion

The fight against climate change requires urgent action to reduce methane emissions. Organizations like the Environmental Defense Fund play a vital role in raising awareness, conducting research, and implementing solutions to address this pressing issue. By focusing on methane reduction and inspiring the youth, we can work towards a more sustainable future and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined by the United Nations.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 13: Climate Action

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
• Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
• Target 13.5: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula.
• Indicator 13.3.1: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer, and development actions.
• Indicator 13.5.1: Mobilized amount of United States dollars per year between 2020 and 2025 accountable towards the $100 billion commitment.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: eco-business.com

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